Predominance of Streptococcus pneumoniae among TB patients complicates Dots chemotherapy at infectious diseases hospital Kano, Northwest Nigeria

Directly observed treatment Short course regimen has been know to be efficacious in the chemotherapy management of tuberculosis. However, co- infection with other opportunistic bacteria could limit this success to the level of clinical suspecting the emergence of false positive multidrugs resistant TB among the patients which in many cases can lead to establishment of erroneous treatment schedule. Accordingly this facility based surveillance monitors co-infection with other bacteria in TB patients attending Dots clinic at IDH Kano, Nigeria with view to ascertaining the drug susceptibility so as to proffer better chemotherapy strategies. A total 35 non - duplicated positive AFB sputum sample collected from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis on Dots where processed according to standard bacteriological procedures including macroscopic, culture and microscopic examination using both AFB gram staining and culture methods for screening and isolation of other bacterial pathogens. These were confirmed biochemically. Overall 54.3% of the patients were Still AFB positive, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus species we’re predominat in up to 84.2% and 15.8% of the patients respectively. This study indicated secondary bacterial pathogenesis with pulmonary symptoms resembling TB among the patients including those that were even isolated for being refrectory to Dots an false positive conclusion of drug resistant TB. However, ofloxacin and ceftriaxone which show appreciable potencies against secondary bacterial pathogens identified where used to treat successfully, patients claimed posses drug resistant TB. It’s imperative that, success of Dots therapy could be improved by augumentin with very potent non TB antibacterial such as Streptococcus pneumoniae regimen.

Keys. TB.